Rory McIlroy carving his name onto the pages of history

By Kevin Garside

The career rocket to which Rory McIlroy is strapped took him to No 2 in the world following his Open victory, though after watching him claim a third major at 25-years-old, few would argue there is a better player in the golfing firmament than the Ulsterman.

The near-million banked at Hoylake also catapulted him to the top of the Race to Dubai, and with the WGC Bridgestone Invitational next week feeding directly into the final Major of the season, the PGA Championship, McIlroy threatens even more plunder.

This is the golfer Nike thought they were getting when they shelled out £75m for the association 19 months ago. The company looks to have stolen McIlroy now.

He is one of only five men to have won a Major before the age of 26 – Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods are the others. Only Nicklaus and Woods had three at his age.

McIlroy mania will be raging when he tees up in Ohio next week, and then at Valhalla.

It will be off the scale at Augusta in April, where he goes in pursuit of the missing Major, the Masters.

Had he acquired the maturity three years ago that he showed in holding off the challenge of Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler at Royal Liverpool, the Green Jacket might have been the first item of Major furniture in his locker.

That four-shot collapse on the final day in 2011 remains an epic feature of the McIlroy landscape. He wins and loses big. This is why we are drawn to him.

The annus horribillis of 2013 is another example of the drama that comes with the territory. But when he climbs out of the holes he digs, he is a uniquely compelling customer. There is no finer sight in golf than McIlroy with the hammer down.

His victories at the 2011 US Open at Congressional and the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island were delivered by eight shots. At the Open he was required to defend a winning position that stood at six at the start of the final day and extended to seven after he birdied the first.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy celebrates winning the 2014 Open Championship with his mum at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy kisses the Claret Jug after winning the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Rory McIlroy wins the British Open at Hoylake, Liverpool and the members at Holywood Golf Club celebrate.

Fans watch Rory McIlroy win The Open on tv screens at Holywood Golf Course, County Down.

Fans watch Rory McIlroy win The Open on tv screens at Holywood Golf Course, County Down.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy chips out of the bunker on the 18thduring day four of the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy during day four of the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Fans watch Rory McIlroy win The Open on tv screens at Holywood Golf Course, County Down.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy lifts the Claret Jug after winning the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Fans watch Rory McIlroy win The Open on tv screens at Holywood Golf Course, County Down.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy celebrates with the Claret Jug after winning the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Terry Carr, Deirdre McGuigan and Julie Carr enjoy champagne at Holywood Golf Club after their very own Rory McIlroy's victory in the Open.
Photo Aidan O'Reilly/Pacemaker Press

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy with the Claret Jug after winning the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Rory McIlroy wins the British Open at Hoylake, Liverpool and the members at Holywood Golf Club celebrate.

Garcia, in the penultimate group, came at him hard, twice closing to within two shots when the tension was at its height.

His playing partner, Fowler, also began to exert pressure over the closing holes as Hoylake reverberated to birdie song, but McIlroy managed his business like the main man he has become, landing the counters when needed to claim the greatest prize in golf by two strokes.

The Claret Jug, coupled with the cumulative power of three, takes McIlroy into an entirely different dimension.

Sir Nick Faldo is the most successful European of the modern era with six majors, one more than Ballesteros. Both dealt in jugs and jackets, but no European has held three different pots since the Masters rolled out in 1934.

So McIlroy is by glorious increments carving a historic place in the pantheon.

He would not say no to a second PGA crown in Louisville next month but the Masters is the one he really, really wants to spice up his life, pun intended.

"Even though there's still one Major left this year that I want to desperately try to win, I am looking forward to next April and trying to complete the career Grand Slam. I've always been comfortable from tee to green at Augusta. It's just taken me a few years to figure out the greens, where you need to miss it and some different little shots that you might need that week," said McIlroy.

"I'll be going into Augusta next year pretty confident... if I can just figure out the greens a little bit more. What really helped me last year was playing with Jeff Knox in the third round.

"He was my amateur marker and he's the best I've ever seen on Augusta's greens. I might have to take a couple of trips up before the tournament next year with him."

Before that there is some celebrating to be done. The first snaps of liquid refreshment going into the Claret Jug are already circulating through the ether.

McIlroy tweeted an image with family and friends in the rented house on the Wirral with the jug taking centre stage.

There is no time like the first time, and no time limit on victory. McIlroy is, and always will be, an Open winner.

Source: Independent

How our boys rated

Rory McIlroy (Rating 9.5)

Finish: Won. 66 66 68 71 (-17)

McIlroy achieved a new level at Hoylake. In victory at The Open he proved he has become as much a man of substance as style. This was a pragmatic and, for the most part, polished performance. Sublime during those 66’s on Thursday and Friday, he showed patience as all around him made birdies early on Saturday, then struck brilliantly for two crucial eagles down the stretch. When the sheen went off his game on Sunday, he remained resolute, unruffled. With such discipline and focus allied to his genius, McIlroy has taken his game to a new level at the Majors.

Graeme McDowell (Rating 7)

Finish: Tied 9th. 74 69 68 67 (-10)

If only… McDowell emerged on Sunday from his third straight round in the 60’s and said “what I’d not give to go back to the 10th tee and start again from there on Thursday”. G-Mac made double-bogey seven at 10 on his way to the opening 74 that left him needing it to blow a hooley to catch-up. His principal complaint after that first round was his inability to hit a cut shot. On his day, however, he looks a model to add an Open title to his 2010 US Open victory on or before it’s return to his native Portrush in 2019, just before his 39th birthday.

Darren Clarke (Rating 6)

Finish: Tied 26th. 72 72 67 73 (-4)

At times in Hoylake, Clarke began to look like the golfer who won at Sandwich in 2011. Despite his frustrating finish, this showing was decent enough from a golfer man who hasn’t made the weekend in 10 of 16 events.

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